Dec. 2019 - Cat Canyon - Construction in Snow Leopard Exhibit

the Bobcat could have used some of the outside space where they put the owls

@bgeezle513 I was crossing my fingers that it was for the ocelot.

They're adding a mock tree... to an exhibit meant to replicate higher altitudes... (WHAT?) I'm sure it's good for the snow leopards husbandry-wise, but... WHAT?

@Wyman Yeah, I don't get it either. I questioned one of the Zoo's photographers, concerned that they were replacing the snow leopards with a tropical, more arboreal animal - but nope, this for the leopards.

@Moebelle I liked the natural talus slope and the grassy knoll it was beforehand, and plus you could see the leopards relatively easily (I assume they had enough opportunities for privacy.) Why... change that to make them less visible?

Hopefully it will be a nice improvement. The tree seems to be the center support holding up the netting. Was there a metal pole there before? Is this perhaps the reason for adding a fake tree, to hide the pole?

@Arizona Docent Yes it does

For those who want to see: Feb. 2014 - Cat Canyon - Snow Leopard Exhibit (with some snow) - ZooChat

Comparing it to the older photo referenced above, the tree certainly seems to be an improvement. I am not sure what else they could have done to hide the pole - any thoughts?

@Arizona Docent A more unobtrusive color or a different structure in which there were separate poles along the retaining rock wall, akin to a more freeform tent structure. Maybe the viewing areas could have been situated in such a way, so the mesh/coverings were less obtrusive.